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The Ranger

District 25 recreation board accepts $49,140 in grants

Mar 20, 2012 - By Carolyn B. Tyler, Staff Writer

Grants totaling $49,140 were accepted from the Fremont County School District 25 Recreation Board, and Alex Ward of Greenway Lawns was recognized as Rec Volunteer of the Year at the meeting of the Riverton school board on Feb. 28.

The rec board, which is a separate entity from the school district but funded through a district quarter mill levy, awarded the Riverton Aquatic Center $39,500 for operational costs this year and $9,640 for costs associated with the CAN Room at Riverton High School.

The recreation board met recently and awarded nearly $180,000 to 22 organizations that sponsor recreation programs in the community.

Board president Lars Flanagan said the grant monies will be used for everything from uniforms to equipment, portable toilets, advertising, propane, and the grooming and updating of playing fields throughout the city.

In honoring Greenway Lawns with the volunteer award, the school board recognized Ward for caring for both the Babe Ruth and Roy Peck baseball fields for the past two years. That included fertilizing them all summer, insuring that they are watered properly and mowing them weekly.

To meet the needs of a baseball playing field, Ward supplements the city's work with a lower mow, contributing his commercial mowers and paid hands.

"(Ward) has done all of this for free the past two years, and both parks are in the nicest shape I've ever seen them," Flanagan said. "This is a substantial contribution to both programs, because they would not otherwise be able to afford such care."